Parties agree share out of cabinet posts

The three parties negotiating the formation of a coalition government have agreed on the make-up of a 15-member cabinet. The deal was arrived at following more than seven hours of talks with the biggest party, the right-wing Civic Democrats, making concessions to the smaller two parties, TOP 09 and Public Affairs. The post of interior minister has been handed to Public Affairs’ leader Radek John. The Civic Democrats had expressed reservations about the party getting that post because of the links of one of its leaders with a private security firm. Civic Democrat Prime Minister Petr Necaš said guarantees had been given that the firm would not bid for public contracts.

TOP 09 deputy leader and former finance minister Miroslav Kalousek returns to head the Ministry of Finance in spite of earlier comments from Mr. Necaš that his party should occupy it. Meanwhile, TOP 09 leader Karel Schwarzenberg returns to the post of foreign minister and the Civic Democrats’ Alexandr Vondra will take the defence portfolio. The Civic Democrats have six ministerial posts, TOP 09 five and Public Affairs four. Prime Minister Petr Nečas of the Civic Democrats says he hopes to see a coalition agreement signed in about a week’s time.